Studio Diary - September 2025

Charlotte Wensley
Sep 25
3 min read

Updated: Oct 24

Many of my recent thoughts and undertakings in the studio have prompted me to consider deeply the notion of being not just an artist but also an observer.

I don't just mean in a literal sense, as if I were capturing a still life in charcoal or an en plein air landscape in paint. I mean really making sense of what I am seeing by bringing a multitude of senses to the moment of looking.

The Essence of Observation

In this way, I am observing not just with my eyes, but with my being. For me, being an artist has always meant carrying a deep awareness of what’s happening both around me and within me. I notice things that might otherwise slip past—the way shadows stretch across the ground at dusk, the sudden shift in the air before rain, or the way scattered leaves create a random pattern on a pathway. I also pay attention to the emotions that surface in my mind and body during quiet pauses between thoughts.

In many ways, I am an observer and an archivist. Observation is about slowing down enough to see, feel, and sense the subtleties of life.

Archiving Through Art

Archiving, through my paintings, is about giving these observations a lasting form. It turns fleeting impressions into something tangible. A painting can encapsulate a memory, an atmosphere, or an emotion long after the moment has passed.

These moments often become the seeds for my work. They might start to grow at the beginning of a painting, nourish the work as it evolves, or even serve as the perfect retrospective interpretation of a painting once it's finished.

From this viewpoint, my work is beginning to feel more and more like a library of these experiences. Each piece contains fragments of time and place, layered with meaning that even I sometimes don't understand fully until much later.

The Shared Human Experience

In this way, my art becomes a record not only of my own journey but also of the shared human experiences that I see around me. These experiences include silence, contemplation, stillness, desire, memories, connections, and change, to name a few.

Bringing these experiences together in a painting and creating in this way is my way of saying: I was here, I noticed, and this is what it felt like.

Noosa Open Studios 2025

Not long to go now!

I've been busy preparing for Open Studios with a website refresh, updates to my online shop, and in the coming days, I'll be hanging a selection of work for my visitors to enjoy.

I can't wait to welcome you from 10 AM on Friday, 10th October!

Full details about the event and how you can find me on the trail can be found here.

Woman in paint-splattered clothes stands in art studio doorway, surrounded by greenery. Text on door: "Charlotte Wensley Contemporary Abstract Art."

Blog Catch Up

Dark purple figs scattered on a white background. The image features various fig sizes with hand-drawn textures, creating a bold contrast.

I've been reflecting on what it means to be on a creative journey in my latest blog post, which you can find here.

Archiving Experience and Observation Through Creative Response

Industrial landscape painting with smoky factories, chimneys, buildings, and a river. Muted colors evoke a somber, busy atmosphere.

Few artists are as instantly recognisable as LS Lowry. His unique style revealed the poetry he observed in ordinary life and the human experience against the industrial backdrop of northern England in the 1900s.

I couldn't resist a little deep dive, which you can read about here.

Observing the Human Experience in an Industrial Landscape: 'Matchstick Man' L.S. Lowry

What's On

Colorful abstract art with geometric patterns on a poster for Noosa Open Studios 2025. Event from 10 to 19 OCT in Peregian Beach.

Final Thoughts

So until next month, do drop into the studio. I'd love to see you and have a chat about all things art! If I'm a bit too far away for a visit, enjoy a slow wander through your neighbourhood. Take note of what you observe. If you don't have time to respond right now, archive your thoughts for later. 😊